Michael Phelps Defends Simulated Shark Race: It's 'Not My Fault'

Michael Phelps is speaking out about his Discovery Channel special 'Phelps vs Shark' after fans felt cheated it used a CGI great white shark instead of a real one.

"Everybody wants to try to pick on something or say something or complain about something. I had fun racing a shark and seeing those animals up-close and personal," he said.

"If someone actually wants to get in the ocean and race a side-by-side with a great white, go ahead — you aren't going to get the shark to swim in a straight line — and it would be interesting to see," he said on social media. "We'll leave it at that."

Phelps claims he hinted that he wasn't going to be swimming side-by-side with a shark.

"You can believe whatever you want. Everything was either presented on-air during multiple interviews that I did throughout Shark Week or the beginning of the show," he said. "Sorry you feel that way. For me, this is something I've always wanted to do and I was honored to be able to do it. I'm sorry that you feel that way, I feel very different."

"Some people just decide not to listen to some of the things that we do and that's not my fault that you don't do that."

Phelps lost by finishing the 100 meter race in 38 seconds, two seconds slower than the simulated shark.